Tristan
Say it: TRISS-tan/ˈtɹɪstən/
BoyMythology7 letters2 syllables
#317
in Ireland (2025)
#307 with spellings combined
13
babies in 2025
#99
best rank (2006)
1,126
babies since 1971
Down 134
10-year rank change
Tristan through the years
Compare with another name →Show the numbers
| Year | Babies (boys) | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 13 | #307 |
| 2024 | 13 | #293 |
| 2023 | 14 | #294 |
| 2022 | 15 | #285 |
| 2021 | 17 | #262 |
| 2020 | 24 | #203 |
| 2019 | 17 | #262 |
| 2018 | 27 | #205 |
| 2017 | 33 | #179 |
| 2016 | 30 | #190 |
| 2015 | 35 | #173 |
| 2014 | 46 | #144 |
| 2013 | 45 | #142 |
| 2012 | 50 | #144 |
| 2011 | 54 | #128 |
| 2010 | 63 | #114 |
| 2009 | 64 | #118 |
| 2008 | 74 | #103 |
| 2007 | 54 | #120 |
| 2006 | 62 | #99 |
| 2005 | 50 | #111 |
| 2004 | 30 | #146 |
| 2003 | 28 | #147 |
| 2002 | 30 | #138 |
| 2001 | 27 | #139 |
| 2000 | 22 | #155 |
| 1999 | 11 | #201 |
| 1998 | 16 | #162 |
| 1997 | 18 | #168 |
| 1996 | 16 | #180 |
| 1995 | 6 | #261 |
| 1994 | 4 | #299 |
| 1991 | 6 | #242 |
| 1990 | 5 | #256 |
| 1988 | 3 | #319 |
| 1987 | 7 | #222 |
| 1986 | 3 | #317 |
| 1985 | 7 | #218 |
| 1984 | 5 | #250 |
| 1983 | 5 | #258 |
| 1982 | 10 | #205 |
| 1981 | 5 | #260 |
| 1980 | 18 | #172 |
| 1979 | 23 | #147 |
| 1978 | 11 | #198 |
| 1977 | 4 | #293 |
| 1972 | 3 | #307 |
| 1971 | 3 | #304 |
Source: CSO, Irish Babies' Names (VSA50, VSA60), CC BY 4.0.
★ What does Tristan mean?
Uncertain, often linked with French triste (sad)
Celtic, from the old British name Drust, later reshaped by French triste (sad).
Say it right
TRISStan
The story of Tristan
Tristan goes back to an old Celtic name, found in early Welsh as Drust or Drystan. Its first meaning is uncertain; one explanation links it with a word for tumult or noise. As the name passed into French stories it was shaped to look like triste, sad, which suited the hero’s fate.
Tristan is best known from the medieval romance of Tristan and Iseult, which has an Irish thread running through it. Tristan fetches the Irish princess Iseult to marry his uncle, King Mark of Cornwall, but a love potion binds the two of them together instead. Wagner later turned the story into his opera Tristan und Isolde.
In Ireland, Tristan first reached the CSO list in 1971, with 3 boys. It rose through the 2000s to reach number 99 in 2006, and its biggest year was 2008, with 74 boys. In Northern Ireland its highest place was 131st, in 2005.
Say it differently where you're from, or spotted something wrong? Tell us.
Sources
- Wiktionary: Tristan (English proper noun)
- Wikipedia: Tristan (name)
- CSO VSA50, Boys Names in Ireland with 3 or More Occurrences
- NISRA, Baby Names in Northern Ireland
At a glance
Similar names
Sibling ideas
Spellings counted here
| Spelling | 2025 | All years |
|---|---|---|
| Tristan | 13 | 1,126 |
In Northern Ireland
#199 in 2025 with 10 babies. Best rank #131 (2005); 303 babies since 1997.
Source: NISRA, Open Government Licence.